Christie agrees to Pay the 3300$ for his chopper ride.

Whoops, sorry Dems, you just lost this issue.... I am eagerly awaiting the day that Pelosi decides to foot the bill for her millions of dollars in travel expenses.

Christie and G.O.P. Repay State for Helicopter Flights
By RICHARD PÃREZ-PEÃA

Matt Rainey for The New York Times
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey rode in a state S.U.V. on Thursday to a bill-signing at St. Clare's Hospital in Denville.
Mr. Christie insisted that he had done nothing wrong and that he had made the payments â a day after his office said he would not â just to put to rest an issue that suddenly dominated news coverage in the state. And he had some scathing words, even by his sharp-tongued standards, for Democrats, political pundits and journalists.

âI am not going to allow the media and the hacks in the Democratic Party to turn this into something that allows them to do what they always like to do, which is get away from serious issues where you have to make hard choices for things that matter, because they want to have a circus,â he said during a visit here for a bill-signing.

Of the Democrats and others who said his helicopter use might have been illegal, Mr. Christie said, âThese guys are a joke.â

He added, âThey know full well, full well, that it was none of that stuff at all.â

He lashed out at one Democratic legislator who announced plans to hold a hearing on the matter, and at another, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, who had said that leaving his sonâs game in the fifth inning on Tuesday to meet with the fund-raisers âsays something about the governorâs priorities.â

âShe should really be embarrassed at what a jerk she is,â Mr. Christie said.

Joseph Cryan, the Assembly majority leader, lashed back on her behalf, saying, âThe governor needs to learn some decency.â

Mr. Christieâs critics have accused him of hypocrisy for taking the flights while preaching austerity. But he has used State Police helicopters far less than his predecessors, including some who flew in them hundreds of times a year. On Thursday, his office released a log of the 33 times it said he had used the aircraft since taking office in January 2010, all but two for official business.

His son Andrew is on the baseball team at Delbarton School in Morristown, which is in the state high school championship playoffs, and Mr. Christie flew to attend the games last Friday and on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, he flew from Trenton to the game in Montvale, at the northern end of the state, and then to the governorâs mansion in Princeton to meet with Republican fund-raisers from Iowa who, Mr. Christie said, tried and failed to persuade him to run for president in 2012. (âThey didnât ask about 2016,â he said, âso I didnât rule it in or rule it out.â)

On Thursday, the governor paid the state $2,151.50 for the personal trips, and at his request, the state Republican Party paid $1,232.29 for the political leg of the trip Tuesday.

Mr. Christie said he would not change his traveling habits, but would not say whether he would reimburse the state for any future flights. âMy sonâs next game is tomorrow in Sparta,â he said, adding that he thought he would have time to drive.

The governor appealed for understanding of his role as a father of four. And he drew a contrast to his predecessor, Jon S. Corzine, saying that the alternative to helicopter use was to have the State Police speed him around as they did Mr. Corzine â and risk the kind of near-fatal accident Mr. Corzine had.

The State Police have said that the helicopter trips cost the state no additional expense, because the aircraft are aloft daily, whether or not they are needed for emergencies, to give the pilots experience.

Asked if using the helicopters at a time of deep budget-cutting was politically tone-deaf, Mr. Christie said, âI understand the perception issue.â But he added that he thought the State Police statement would make it disappear.

I don't think the house speaker who has to fly to Ca to Washington and a governor who could have taken a car to a baseball game is the same

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Apparently you missed the part about Christie using the Chopper 33 times, and Corzine using it hundreds of times per year.

Indeed it was a stupid move on his part, politically, to show up to a ball game in a chopper, but he paid the money back, and we are talking about 3000 dollars, as opposed to corzine before him who dropped billions on wasteful programs and used the chopper ten times as much, and never paid it back.

Apparently you missed the part about Christie using the Chopper 33 times, and Corzine using it hundreds of times per year.

Indeed it was a stupid move on his part, politically, to show up to a ball game in a chopper, but he paid the money back, and we are talking about 3000 dollars, as opposed to corzine before him who dropped billions on wasteful programs and used the chopper ten times as much, and never paid it back.

If anything Christie is guilty of being politically naieve.

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Corzine is a dick and he should pay it back.Republicans should have attacked him on the issue if he was improperly using the state chopper

Corzine is a dick and he should pay it back.Republicans should have attacked him on the issue if he was improperly using the state chopper

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So liberals have managed to nail Christie to a cross on a 3000 dollar chopper ride, and 2000 for hotel expenses from when he was AG, thats a total of 5000$ you guys have found while the entire liberal party is going after him, and trying to dig up dirt on him.

Do you not see a problem with this? We have government employees going hog wild on the tax payer dollar all over the country, and your party is attempting to nail christie on 5K?

He also paid 3 of the 5k he has "overspent" back, (meaning he has overspent by 2k since he has been a political figure) now will you just admit you are wrong? That would be the right thing to do right now if you have even a shred of honesty.

I dont like overspending by anyone but we are talking about 2000$ that christie may or may not be guilty of over spending.... in a cesspool of government waste, where employees of the government blow millions/billions of our dollars year in and year out, this is a joke.

So liberals have managed to nail Christie to a cross on a 3000 dollar chopper ride, and 2000 for hotel expenses from when he was AG, thats a total of 5000$ you guys have found while the entire liberal party is going after him, and trying to dig up dirt on him.

Do you not see a problem with this? We have government employees going hog wild on the tax payer dollar all over the country, and your party is attempting to nail christie on 5K?

He also paid 3 of the 5k he has "overspent" back, (meaning he has overspent by 2k since he has been a political figure) now will you just admit you are wrong? That would be the right thing to do right now if you have even a shred of honesty.

I dont like overspending by anyone but we are talking about 2000$ that christie may or may not be guilty of over spending.... in a cesspool of government employees who blow millions of our dollars year in and year out.

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Both parties try to nail each other with these things,its good because it keeps them from more abuse

Republicans tried to nail Pelesi with the plane and someone just posted an article about Obama and Air Force one.

Pelesi took the 12 seater rather then the 747 because she knew republicans were watching.Obama will likely use Air Force one less because he knows he is being watched and Christie will likely use the chopper less now

Yeah, you got me there, Pelosi was the beacon of fiscal conservatism.... 100k just for inflight expenses?

Judicial Watch Uncovers New Documents Detailing Pelosi's Use of Air Force Aircraft
View Discussion House Speakerâs Military Travel Cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a Two-Year Period, Including $101,429 for In-Flight Expenses
Contact Information:
Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305

Washington, DC -- January 28, 2010Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Air Force detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosiâs use of United States Air Force aircraft for Congressional Delegations (CODELs). According to the documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Speakerâs military travel cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a two-year period â $101,429.14 of which was for in-flight expenses, including food and alcohol. The following are highlights from the recent release of about 2,000 documents:

Speaker Pelosi used Air Force aircraft to travel back to her district at an average cost of $28,210.51 per flight. The average cost of an international CODEL is $228,563.33. Of the 103 Pelosi-led congressional delegations (CODEL), 31 trips included members of the House Speakerâs family.
One CODEL traveling from Washington, DC, through Tel Aviv, Israel to Baghdad, Iraq May 15-20, 2008, âto discuss matters of mutual concern with government leadersâ included members of Congress and their spouses and cost $17,931 per hour in aircraft alone. Purchases for the CODEL included: Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Baileyâs Irish CrÃ¨me, Makerâs Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewars scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey, Corona beer and several bottles of wine.
According to a âMemo for Recordâ from a March 29âApril 7, 2007, CODEL that involved a stop in Israel, âCODEL could only bring Kosher items into the Hotel. Kosher alcohol for mixing beverages in the Delegation room was purchased on the local economy i.e. Bourbon, Whiskey, Scotch, Vodka, Gin, Triple Sec, Tequila, etc.â
The Department of Defense advanced a CODEL of 56 members of Congress and staff $60,000 to travel to Louisiana and Mississippi July 19-22, 2008, to âview flood relief advances from Hurricane Katrina.â The three-day trip cost the U.S. Air Force $65,505.46, exceeding authorized funding by $5,505.46.
âSpeaker Pelosi has a history of wasting taxpayer funds with her boorish demands for military travel. And these documents suggest the Speakerâs congressional delegations are more about partying than anything else,â said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Judicial Watch previously obtained internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosiâs numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speakerâs last minute cancellations and changes.

Both parties try to nail each other with these things,its good because it keeps them from more abuse

Republicans tried to nail Pelesi with the plane and someone just posted an article about Obama and Air Force one.

Pelesi took the 12 seater rather then the 747 because she knew republicans were watching.Obama will likely use Air Force one less because he knows he is being watched and Christie will likely use the chopper less now

Yeah, you got me there, Pelosi was the beacon of fiscal conservatism.... 100k just for inflight expenses?

Judicial Watch Uncovers New Documents Detailing Pelosi's Use of Air Force Aircraft
View Discussion House Speakerâs Military Travel Cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a Two-Year Period, Including $101,429 for In-Flight Expenses
Contact Information:
Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305

Washington, DC -- January 28, 2010
Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Air Force detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosiâs use of United States Air Force aircraft for Congressional Delegations (CODELs). According to the documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Speakerâs military travel cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a two-year period â $101,429.14 of which was for in-flight expenses, including food and alcohol. The following are highlights from the recent release of about 2,000 documents:

Speaker Pelosi used Air Force aircraft to travel back to her district at an average cost of $28,210.51 per flight. The average cost of an international CODEL is $228,563.33. Of the 103 Pelosi-led congressional delegations (CODEL), 31 trips included members of the House Speakerâs family.
One CODEL traveling from Washington, DC, through Tel Aviv, Israel to Baghdad, Iraq May 15-20, 2008, âto discuss matters of mutual concern with government leadersâ included members of Congress and their spouses and cost $17,931 per hour in aircraft alone. Purchases for the CODEL included: Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Baileyâs Irish CrÃ¨me, Makerâs Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewars scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey, Corona beer and several bottles of wine.
According to a âMemo for Recordâ from a March 29âApril 7, 2007, CODEL that involved a stop in Israel, âCODEL could only bring Kosher items into the Hotel. Kosher alcohol for mixing beverages in the Delegation room was purchased on the local economy i.e. Bourbon, Whiskey, Scotch, Vodka, Gin, Triple Sec, Tequila, etc.â
The Department of Defense advanced a CODEL of 56 members of Congress and staff $60,000 to travel to Louisiana and Mississippi July 19-22, 2008, to âview flood relief advances from Hurricane Katrina.â The three-day trip cost the U.S. Air Force $65,505.46, exceeding authorized funding by $5,505.46.
âSpeaker Pelosi has a history of wasting taxpayer funds with her boorish demands for military travel. And these documents suggest the Speakerâs congressional delegations are more about partying than anything else,â said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Judicial Watch previously obtained internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosiâs numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speakerâs last minute cancellations and changes.

Then obviously you cant bitch about christie given the fact that he has now paid ALL his travel expenses.

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I bitched about Christie because of the hypocrisy of him criticizing others about spending .He is only paying it back because he got caught.If this had been Carzine I would have bitched about him too though,governors do not need choppers

If Christie is ever Prez,VP or speaker I have no problems with him using government planes or choppers for any reason